Indian Navy accepts INS Vikrant

 The Cochin Shipyard ceremonially handed over the first indigenous aircraft carrier "Vikrant" to the Indian Navy on 28 July 2022.

  MacTaggart Scott is pleased to be the supplier of the two aircraft lifts on INS Vikrant, and also the supplier of nine passenger and food lifts. The company has worked closely with Cochin Shipyard throughout the design, installation, commissioning and acceptance trials. We all congratulate Cochin Shipyard and the Indian Navy.

 Indian Navy has created maritime history by taking delivery of the prestigious Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) ‘Vikrant from her builder Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi. Designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and built by CSL, a Public Sector Shipyard under the Ministry of Shipping (MoS), the carrier is christened after her illustrious predecessor, India’s first Aircraft Carrier which played a vital role in the 1971 war. Coinciding with the celebrations to commemorate the 75th anniversary of India’s independence ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, the reincarnation of Vikrant is a true testimony to the country’s zeal and fervor in pursuing capability build up towards enhanced maritime security. 

 The 262-meter-long carrier has a full displacement of close to 45,000 tonnes which is much larger and more advanced than her predecessor. The ship is powered by four Gas Turbines totaling 88 MW power and has a maximum speed of 28 Knots. Built at an overall cost of close to Rs. 20,000 Crs, the project has progressed in three Phases of a contract between MoD and CSL, concluded in May 2007, Dec 2014, and Oct 2019 respectively. The ship’s keel was laid in Feb 2009, followed by launching in Aug 2013. With an overall indigenous content of 76%, IAC is a perfect example of the nation’s quest for “Aatma Nirbhar Bharat” and provides a thrust to Government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. With the delivery of Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Vikrant, India has joined a select group of nations having the niche capability to indigenously design and build an Aircraft Carrier. 

 Vikrant has been designed to accommodate an assortment of fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. The ship will be capable of operating an air wing consisting of 30 aircraft comprising MIG-29K fighter jets, Kamov-31, MH-60R multi-role helicopters, in addition to indigenously manufactured Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) (Navy). The aircraft-operation mode is STOBAR (Short Take-Off but Arrested Landing); the IAC is equipped with a ski-jump for launching aircraft, and ‘arrester wires’ for their recovery onboard. 

  Delivery of Vikrant was marked by the signing of acceptance documents on behalf of the Indian Navy by the Commanding Officer Designate of Vikrant, representatives of Naval Headquarters and Warship Overseeing Team (Kochi), and by the Chairman and Managing Director on behalf of Cochin Shipyard Ltd., in the presence of Senior officers of Indian Navy and Cochin Shipyard. 

 Vikrant has been delivered to the Indian Navy by CSL following extensive user acceptance trials conducted between Aug 2021 and Jul 2022, during which ship’s performance, including hull, main propulsion, PGD, auxiliary equipment, aviation facilities, weapon & sensors as well as sea keeping & maneuvering capabilities were proved satisfactory in accordance with trial protocols and system parameters. The delivery of Vikrant today is the culmination of a long design, build, and trials phase, during which both the Indian Navy and CSL had to overcome a multitude of unprecedented technical and logistic challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic and changed geo-political scenario. The successful delivery of the indigenous carrier, a major milestone activity, and historical event, is testimony to the dedicated efforts of a large number of stakeholders within the Indian Navy, shipyard, industry, OEMs & MSMEs for over two decades.

 The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier will soon be commissioned into the Indian Navy as Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vikrant which will bolster India’s position in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and its quest for a blue water Navy.

  Information and photograph courtesy of Indian MoD.